Photo: 1929 Bassano/Camera Press / TT
Sample of authors
Maugham, W. Somerset
William Somerset Maugham was a British author born in Paris. His father was a lawyer at the British Embassy there. When Maugham was eight years old, his mother died of tuberculosis, two years later his father died of cancer and the boy was sent to live with his uncle, the Vicar of Whitstable in Kent. Maugham suffered from a serious stammer, he was shy and avoided speaking in public; unlike his...
Literary figures
Travis McGee
Gender: Male
A former footballer and war veteran, living on a house-boat in Fort Lauderdale in Florida. Travis McGee is the main character in 21 novels by John D. MacDonald, in which he sometimes features as a private detective, but just likes to help people with problems. He is attractive to women, and has a lot of temporary relationships. He is clever at solving problems – but sometimes follows a c...